SEATTLE – Vietnamese Martyrs Parish in Tukwila won the inaugural “Cup John Paul II” soccer tournament July 13, vying with teams from Vietnamese communities at parishes in Everett, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Oregon.

“It’s a great blessing. We were excited to get together,” said Father Thanh X. Dao, pastor of Vietnamese Martyrs Parish, who helped organize the event at Genesee Park and Playfield in Seattle.

The second-place team was from Our Lady of Lavang Parish in Happy Valley, Oregon, while third place went to the team from St. Michael Parish in Olympia, Father Thanh said.

The other teams playing in the seven-team tournament (Vietnamese Martyrs entered two teams) were from St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Everett, St. George Parish in Seattle and Pope St. John XXIII Parish in Tacoma. Players ranged in age from 16 to about 70, organizers said.

A goalkeeper goes for a save during the inaugural Cup John Paul II Vietnamese Catholic soccer tournament in Seattle July 13. (Photo: Tung Nguyen)

Soccer is one of the most popular sports in Vietnam, Father Thanh said, noting the World Cup is a must-watch, even when the games might be broadcast at 2 a.m. Vietnam time. His parish in Tukwila has had a soccer team that plays for fun “for a long time,” the pastor said.

So when a couple of people from different parishes wondered, “Why don’t we have something for the Vietnamese soccer teams?” the idea took off.

“We wanted to do this in the spirit of synodality, fraternity and community,” working together in mutual understanding and respect, Father Thanh said. 

Players of all ages participated in the Cup John Paul II Vietnamese Catholic soccer tournament July 13 in Seattle. (Photo: Tung Nguyen)

An organizing committee met a handful of times during the last four months, Father Thanh said, working out details such as the tournament rules, hiring referees, finding a sponsor, arranging for food, getting T-shirts made, reserving the venue and planning the awards to be given.

Although other names for the tournament were considered, but the organizers decided to name it in honor of St. Pope John Paul II because “he used to play football (soccer),” Father Thanh said. “He was a good goalkeeper too.”

Teams from six parishes, including one from Oregon, line up before the Cup John Paul II Vietnamese Catholic soccer tournament begins July 13. (Photo: Tung Nguyen)

Invitations to the tournament were extended to Vietnamese Catholic communities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, which make up one of the 12 regions of the Federation of Vietnamese Catholics in the USA, according to Father Thanh.

The federation aims to encourage “all the Vietnamese Catholics to get involved in the life of the church and to keep the Vietnamese traditions,” explained Father Thanh, who said he is the current leader of the federation’s local region. The group has an annual meeting of Vietnamese priests and religious from Washington and Oregon, he added.

Father Thanh X. Dao, pastor of Vietnamese Martyrs Parish in Tukwila, hands out medals to some of the winning team members during the Cup John Paul II Vietnamese Catholic soccer tournament July 13. (Photo: Tung Nguyen) 

Only Washington and Oregon were represented in the tournament because “Idaho said they’re not ready yet,” Father Thanh said, adding there aren’t many Vietnamese Catholics in Alaska. “We are hoping to expand to the entire Northwest region for next year,” he added.

And there’s  been a suggestion to expand the tournament idea to other sports, such as volleyball, Father Thanh said.

Selena Abounader contributed to this report.

Cup John Paul II teams

Below is a gallery of the participating teams participating in the Cup John Paul II Vietnamese soccer tournament July 13 in Seattle. (Photos by Selena Abounader)

St. George Parish, Seattle

Pope St. John XXIII Parish, Tacoma

St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Everett

St. Michael Parish, Olympia

Vietnamese Martyrs Parish, Tukwila

Our Lady of Lavang Parish, Happy Valley Oregon